Sustenance of the Future

Chapter Eight

The Sixteenth Century
18th October 1582

Outer space
On course to the dimensional rupture

"Sensors have detected that the eruption is already beginning," Rachel reported.
"Great," Christine said. "Something's going to go wrong now. I just know it."
Ben looked puzzled. "So the eruption came earlier than expected," he said. "Nothing's wrong with that."
Just then, there was an alarm on Rachel's console. The computer spoke, "Warning: Ship emerging from the eruption. Sensors indicate ship is composed entirely of antimatter."
"I told you so," Christine said.
"Wait a minute," Ben said, "how is that possible? Even over in that dimension, it's still 1582, and Earth there is at the same technological level as on Earth here. So how could they have a ship?"
"Unknown," the computer replied. "Recommendation: a closer analysis."
"Professor," Christine asked, "can we go any faster? We can't let that thing leave."
"We're at maximum speed already," Farrell replied.
"Mum," James suddenly said, "you'd better see this."
"What is it?" Christine asked, as she stood up and went to James' console.
James showed her his screen. "The sensors scans of the antimatter ship have now been broken-down into specifics."
"And?"
"Well apart from the fact that the ship is antimatter, everything about it is exactly like the shuttle."
Christine was startled. "The Atlas?"
"That's right. Shield configuration, weapons frequency, even design."
"You mean, that ship came here -"
"- in the same way we did," James said.
"That's the antimatter counterpart of the Atlas," Christine remarked. "Incredible."
"Closer analysis has confirmed James' theory," Professor Farrell reported. "And we're approaching it, Estimated Time of Arrival, in one minute, thirty seconds."
"This is amazing!" Ben said. "I know I've been over there, but at that time I wasn't here. I never knew things were so precisely similar."
"We have a ship, so they have a ship," Professor Farrell said. "The law of inter-dimensional parallelism. Just as we have time travelled, so have they. And chances are they came here from the 24th century once the anti-Dr. Ranon invented the time warp mechanism, to stop us coming here and closing the rupture."
"The other Atlas is heading towards us in hyperspace," Rachel suddenly said.
"It's powering up its weapons systems," James said, "and its taking up an attack position."
"That's all we need," Christine said. "We've met our match. Computer, go to battle alert." The computer beeped and systems powered up all around them. "Daniel, stand by on weapons and defensive systems, raise shields. James, get ready on that cloaking device, we may need it."
"Photon lasers armed and ready, deflector shields raised, full intensity," Daniel reported.
"Cloaking device ready, full power," James said.
"Can you open a channel to them?" Christine asked Sally.
"Sure," Sally replied, pressing a button. "Channel open."
Christine suddenly realised that she didn't know what to say. She wasn't exactly in her own place - a 20th- century woman in a 24th-century shuttle in the 16th century is hardly right. Still, she had to say something before attacking.
"This is Acting Captain Christine Campbell of the shuttle Atlas, from the starship Saturn. Please identify yourselves."
"`Acting Captain'?" Professor Farrell asked softly.
"Well what else am I supposed to say? It sounds good anyway."
For a few seconds nothing happened, but then Sally picked up something on her station. "Receiving transmission, now," she reported.
"Put it on the main screen," Christine said. Sally pressed a button and the picture on the big screen at the front of the room changed.
There were various reactions to what they saw. Sally was terrified, Jenny was shocked, yet puzzled. Professor Farrell was only mildly fascinated, as he had sub-consciously expected something like this. Christine tried desperately to not show any reaction.
"I am Dr. Thomas Ranon," the man on the screen said. Although he did in fact bear resemblance to the Dr. Ranon that they all knew, he did have some differences. For one thing, his voice sounded deeper and rougher. His tone also seemed more aggressive, as usual with people from the antimatter dimension. "If you do not leave at once, I will destroy you."
"I believe it's you who's out of place," Christine replied hesitantly, still holding her neutral face.
At this, the other Ranon began to act surprised, but then went back to an aggressive state. He growled at them, then cut the transmission.
"All communications jammed," Sally reported.
"Warning," the computer said, "Antimatter ship approaching on attack, weapons powered up and firing."
"Professor," Christine said, "try to evade the firing for the least possible damage."
"Okay." He steered the shuttle in an evasive pattern, getting away from the other shuttle's fire. The Atlas was hit by the antimatter fire, and swung about strongly, knocking everyone inside about.
"Shields holding at 80%," Daniel reported.
"That's it," Christine said in annoyance. "James, go to computer-controlled evasive. Daniel, return fire, now!"
"Firing," Daniel said, as he pressed the weapons controls. The shuttle weapons powered up, and released a long beam of energetic photons, narrowly directed for damage to the target.
"Anti-Atlas firing again," Rachel said.
The shuttle rocked heavily with the impact of the fire.
"The antimatter weapons are severely damaging our shields," Professor Farrell said. "One more hit like that and they'll be useless."
"Great," Christine said. "Daniel, fire one burst, then get us out of here, reverse engines."
"Firing," Daniel said. On the screen, they could all see the beam shooting out towards the anti-shuttle.
"Reverse engines, full sub-light," Professor Farrell reported.
"Warning," the computer said, "incoming torpedo, bearing 283 mark 64."
"That's all we need," James mumbled.
"Regain forward motion," Christine said. "Alter course, heading 81 mark 296, maximum acceleration."
The shuttle changed direction and speed, but the torpedo still approached them. Yet by the time it hit, there was little power left in it because of its long run. The Atlas shook with the impact.
"Shields have collapsed," James reported. "Main engines have suffered minor damage."
Christine looked around the room. "Does anyone have any ideas?" she asked desperately. "Any suggestions whatsoever might help."
"I think I know something that might work," Rachel suddenly said. "James, can you just come over here?"
James went over to Rachel's station and looked over her shoulder. The two of them talked for a moment. With all the rattles of the engines, and the warning sirens going off, no one else could hear much of what they said. Occasionally, Christine heard an occasional reference to torpedoes and navigational systems, but could make anything out.
"Professor," she said, "continue evasive manoeuvres."
James straightened up and turned to Christine. "I think we might have something here," he said.
"What?" Christine asked.
James was about to explain when the computer interrupted again. "Antimatter ship has fired specific- detection torpedo."
"What does that mean?" Christine asked. "Torpedo is configured to target a specific object, in this case the Atlas," the computer said.
After a momentary pause of shock, James spoke up. "No time to waste, then. Let's get on with it."
"James, you'd better take over control for this," Christine said.
"Okay," James replied, as he moved to his mother. "Sally, take over the energy controls." Sally went to James' old station. "Daniel, divert weapons power to the shield generators. Rachel, execute plan."
Rachel began to operate her controls. "Professor," she said, "we need one-half sub-light speed, bearing 356 mark 12, now."
"Engaging engines," Professor Farrell said, beginning to work his own controls. Then he suddenly looked up. "You do realise that course is straight for the anti-shuttle, don't you?"
"That's exactly the point," Rachel said.
The professor shrugged his shoulders and continued to steer the Atlas, wondering what would happen next.
"Sally, stand by on the cloaking device," James said.
"Ready."
"Engage now!"
"Cloaking now," Sally reported. Outside, it seemed as if the Atlas suddenly disappeared, as though it was dissolved into the fabric of space.
"We are now cloaked," Sally said.
"Rachel," James said, "yaw to starboard, 45 degrees, then take up juxtaposition against the anti-ship, in the torpedo's path."
"Yeah, yeah," Rachel said, "I know what to do. Professor, alter course, deviation sigma-5."
"Altering course now." The professor steered the cloaked shuttle around the antimatter shuttle, moving it to a position where the anti-ship was directly between them and the torpedo. "In position now."
"Full stop," James said. The shuttle came to a halt. "Sally, stand by to de-cloak."
"Standing by."
"Disengage now." The Atlas slowly reappeared. The torpedo located their signal, and accelerated towards them. But with the anti-Atlas in between, it instead hit the antimatter shuttle.
"Anti-Atlas has been severely damaged," Daniel reported. "Weapons are off-line, shields down to 15%, engine capacity down to sub-light only."
"Good job," Christine said, admiring the ingenuity of her two children.
"Anti-ship is turning around," Professor Farrell said. "What can it do now?"
Just then the computer spoke up. "Warning. Incoming ship, velocity and flight vector analysis evaluation: probable course, direct ramming."
There was a sudden silence among them.
"What do we do now?" Daniel asked anxiously.
"I'm all out of ideas," James said.
"We have to try to get it back through the rupture," Christine said. With all the action, the had just about forgotten what they were trying to do.
"We can't get a tractor beam lock on it," Ben said. "It's going too fast."
"We can't move away either," Professor Farrell said.
"Then there's only one option left, I'm afraid," Christine said. "Daniel, maximum concentration power to the weapons, lock on to engine and IDF anti-ship systems."
Daniel hesitated, wondering if they could do anything else, then realised she was probably right. "Weapons locked on," he said.
Christine heaved a sigh. "Fire," she said.
The Atlas' weapons fired a continuous beam at the anti-shuttle heading straight for them. The photon beam triggered the shuttle's auto-destruct system, which had been rigged for the ramming process. The antimatter ship's debris flew out into space.
"Antimatter ship has been destroyed," the computer said.
There was a moment of silence, realising the consequences of what they had done. Despite the fact that they could now complete their mission, there was a strange sense of uncertainty amongst them.
But what was done was done, and they had to go on.
"Ben," Christine said, "prepare time warp mechanism, Rachel, calculate necessary flight vector."
"Okay."
"Oh, Ben, set return time for two days before our own time warp, to give us a chance to get Anna back."
"Right."
"In the meantime, Professor, begin procedures to close the rupture."
"I've already begun," he said.
"Well then, effectuate it once you've finished. Computer, stand down from battle alert." As she left to check up on Nathan and Jenny, Christine sensed that things from then on would be very different.

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